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Legends of Life 
AND Other Poems 

% 

BERTHA OPPENHEIM 




1921 

THE STRATFORD CO., Tublishers 

BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS 






Copyright, 1921 

The STRATFORD CO., Publishers 

Boston, Mass. 



The Alpine Press, Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 



JAN '9 1922 

@C!.A654168 



^o (Memories 



WANDERER'S NACHTLIED 

Der du von dem Himmel bist, 
Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillest, 
Den, der doppelt el end ist, 
Doppelt mit Erquickung fullest, 
Ach, ich bin des Treibens miide ! 
Was soil alP der Sclimerz und Lust? 
Siisser Friede, 
Komm, ach, komm in meine Brust ! 

Goethe. 



WANDERER'S NIGHT SONG 

Thou, wJio art of heaven horn, 
All earth's pain and sorrow healest, 
Him, whose heart is hurt and torn. 
Deepest with sweet rest thou fillest, 
Ah, I pray for death's release! 
What is life and what its goal? 
Blessed peace, 
Come, ah, come into my soul! 



Contents 



PAGE 



Spring Songs 

Spring' Song . • . 

March, the Desolate . 

March, the Promise . 

Resurrection 

The Miracle of Miracles 

April 

Eain In April 

April Day .... 

Starlight .... 

Night Spearing in Spring . 

Apple Blossoms . 
Summer Pictures 

The Passing of Spring 

To Aurora .... 

''The Flowers Appear on the Earth 

Flower Souls 

Nightfall in my Garden 

Midsummer Days 

Midsummer Evening . 

To a Dying Humming Bird 

The Screech Owl 
Autumn Songs 

September in Vermont 

Autumn on Lake Champlain 

Autumn Dawning not Death, but Life 



1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 

13 
14 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 

23 
24 
25 



CONTENTS 



October Lights . 

To a Fallen Oak 

Song of the Autumn Leaves 

Fulfillment .... 
Winter Trails 

When the Waters Freeze 

Under the Pines and the Stars 

Storm and Firelight . 

Winter Dusk in the Marsh 

My Garden in February 

The Frost Storm 

Mid Winter Night, Iridescent 
Love Songs 

' ' Love is Strong as Death ' ' 

Alone . 

Longing 

Together 

Waiting 

Ecstasy 

My Love is Like a Caged Bird 

Thou art the Sunset Gold . 
Legends of Life 

Quatrains 

Consolation, Unafraid, Confession, My 
Valentine 

To the Days that are Gray 

Sunset 

Sunrise 

''They will not Lend me a Child '^ 

Legend of the Mother Unconsoled 

Prayer 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

After the Play 62 

Happiness 63 

Invocation 63 

Freedom 64 

How can it Be 65 

War QQ 

Sonnets 

Twilight 70 

''And There Was Light" 71 

Victory . . . . . . . .72 



SPRING SONGS 



SPRING SONG 

Do\\T:i in the hollow, 
By the old orchard wall, 
There 's a brook purling swift. 
Where the cat-tails are tall. 

There grow willows gray, 
And swamp maples red. 
And cowslips pale gold 
In the brook ^s old bed. 

There 's a smell in the wind. 
There 's a sound in the air ; 
Oh, winter is gone ! 
Oh — spring is here ! 



[I] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



MAECH, THE DESOLATE 

The sky is lead, 
The wild wind moans, 
The trees are dead, 
The shore ice groans. 

In frosty lace, 
The snow melts away. 
The whole earth ^s face 
Is dun and gray. 



[^] 



SPRING SONGS 



MAECH, THE PROMISE 

A BIT of blue 
Appears in the sky, 
The voice of a crow 
I hear on high. 

The sweet sap runs 
From a maple tree, 
A crocus comes 
And a bumblebee. 

Low, soft twittering 
Is in the air. 
The promise of spring 
Is everywhere ! 



[3] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



EESUERECTION 

Life is waking in the byways, 
And the earth stirs in its sleep, 
Though the fields are brown and dreary, 
I can hear the rapture deep. 

There is red in maple bushes. 
And dull gold in willows bare. 
Gray green poplars, bluish birches, 
Blackbird-flutes are everywhere. 

Far up in the radiant heavens 
Geese are flying toward the north, 
And at night the moon of April 
Hearkens to a waking earth. 



[4] 



SPRING SONGS 



THE MIRACLE OF MIRACLES 

All the world is gray and green, 
April winds are blowing, 
Elms are weaving silvery veils. 
Maple trees are glowing. 

Little pussies, gray and soft, 
Willow shrubs are twining. 
Brooks are flowing ev'rywhere. 
Snowbanks undermining. 

Tiny, green things all about. 
From the brown earth springing. 
Make the air so wondrous sweet ; 
Birds are gaily singing. 

Songs of love and tender cheer. 
Greet the earth 's awaking ; 
Would I too were young again. 
Grief for joy forsaking! 

Ah, life is not made that way. 
Fate is not our choosing. 
And perhaps 'tis better so, 
Hope and faith not losing. 

[5] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



APRIL 

I HEAKD a robin, 
To-day, to-day. 
And a blackbird's 
Flute, so gay, so gay. 

Now April is come, 
At last, at last. 
Winter is gone 
And black grief is past. 



RAIN IN APRIL 

Mellow rain is threading silver into misty day, 

And the greening meadows shimmer, soft and 
gray: — 

Bursting leaf buds, velvet-lipped, on twigs and 
branches swing. 

In their hearts, the web and woof for the or- 
chards' blossoming. 



[6] 



SPRING SONGS 



APRIL DAY 

This morning the sunshine was warm and sweet, 
It called out birds and bees, 
And many tiny flowerets 
Turned up wistful faces to please. 

And now the north wind is bleak and cold, 
The sky is somber gray; 
Whereto have flown the winged folk I 
Flow 'rets have turned away. 

Ah, me, so — like happiness — 
Fair April's sunny gleams. 
Sweet promise of awakening. 
And its fulfillment — dreams ! 



[7] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



STARLIGHT 

My open casement lured me 
On a wondrous night in May, 
And behold, all the stars of Heaven 
Were alight in the deep, blue bay. 

The water was still, like the starlight, 
Radiant, with silvery gleams — 
Beyond, far beyond rose dim gray hills 
That ever hold promise and dreams. 

The fragrant peace of the midnight 
Was mine, and memory wove 
A mantle of dreams, exquisite fair 
Of starlight and mystery and love. 



[8] 



SPRING SONGS 



NIGHT SPEAKING IN SPRING 

The sun is set in a haze of gold, 
And all the world is still, 
Slowly the rising mists enfold 
Rock and tree and hill. 

The night wind song of the reeds is sweet, 
As we float slowly between. 
With rustle and swish, the tall reeds greet 
Our boat, and over it lean. 

Darkness has come, and the torch in the bow 

Looms weird and strange and bright, 

It holds up before us a world aglow, 

In deep shadow, with glorious high light. 

Ghostlike white birches with silver sheen. 
Swamp maples with leaves of bronze, 
Tall pines and cedars of deepest green, 
And willows with drooping fronds. 

And over it all the velvet night. 
With the magic of myriad stars. 
Reflected in murmuring water, bright 
With molten silvery bars. 

[9] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 

All life seems real in the soft May night, 
And our fate a joyous thing. — 
wind, wave, starry light, 
O trees, love, spring! 



APPLE BLOSSOMS 

When the shadbush blows and columbine. 
When at last the oaks are golden green, 
And the glory of the spring is near its end — 

Then the apple blossoms come. 

Over old, gray fence rails, thorn trees lean pink, 
Orchards are filled with snowdrifts of bloom. 
Finches and orioles dart through the trees — 

Singing to the golden sun ! 



[10] 



SUMMER PICTURES 



THE PASSING OF SPEING 

Oh, the glory of awakening 

To the music of the waters, 

And the magic of soft color. 

And the lines of lacy silver 

In the branches of the leaf trees — 

'Tis all past ! 

Oh, the greening of the meadows, 
And the mating of the song birds, 
And the first shy flower faces. 
And the fern fronds tightly curling 
In the pine woods by the water — 
'Tis all past ! 

Gone, the fairest gift of nature. 
Gone, the deathless resurrection ! 
And my heart is strangely stirred. 
Strangely cold and melancholy. 
On this wondrous summer morning - 
Spring has passed ! 



[13] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



TO AURORA 

Thine is the sliimmering hour ! 
Singing da\vn unveiled, beliold, 
Purple fringed, with heart of gold, 
Like a wondrous blooming thing 
Filled with fragrance quivering. 
Men call the passion flower. 



^^THE FLOWERS APPEAR ON THE 
EARTH'' 

Hark, the wilding bells are ringing 
Gay little peals for June. 

Golden orioles are winging 
To orchards sweet, abloom. 

All the heart of me is singing 
A lover's, lover's tune ! 



[M] 



SUMMER PICTURES 



FLOWER SOULS 

Flowees are sentient things, I know, 
They see and hear, they feel and glow. 
Else, why wonld they close at eventide, 
Or, starry eyed, with petals wide. 
Greet westering sun and silver moon ; 
While some their chalice cups at noon 
Hold high for humming birds to sip 
The golden wine their warm lips drip. 



[15] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



NIGHTFALL IN MY GARDEN 

In the fragrant shadows 
Flower faces everywhere — 
Beyond the garden wall 
I can hear a reedy call — 
Young Pan is lurking there. 

Peace broods over all things 
And mystery. Only dreams 
Are real and the far hills, 
Aglow with gold. Rest fills 
My soul — eternal seems. 

The sky grows darkly blue, 
The evening star is bright — 
The spirit of the winds 
Comes sighing through the pines — 
And from its wings falls night. 



[i6] 



SUMMER PICTURES 



MIDSUMMER DAYS 

No wings hath this leaden summer day, 
Nor shimmer of blue and gold, 
No passion of growth, nor joy of wind; 
A world dead, like gray leaf mold ! 

The wings of the wind waft new mown hay 
'er ripening fields of gold. 
And pine woods sweet and harebells blue. 
And tasseling cornstalks bold ! 



[17] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



MIDSUMMER EVENING 

The wind that blew from the north all day 
Is stilled with the coming of night. 

The cobalt hills in the faraway 
Are rimmed with a golden light. 

A young moon hangs in an opal sky, 
Near the glittering evening star. 

Two phoebes call from a tree nearby; 
Hark, a screech owl 's plaint from afar ! 

Fireflies glimmer the pines among, 

And the new mown hay smells sweet and strong. 



[i8] 



SUMMER PICTURES 



TO A DYING HUMMING BIRD 

Oh, thou tiny, quiv'ring creature. 
Broken, weary of life's pain. 
Let me hold thee, help thee bear it ; — 
Thou wilt never fly again. 

Gauzy-winged, ruby-throated 
Like a dewdrop in the sun. 
All thy joyous humming ended; — 
For to-night thy sand is run. 

Nevermore in quest of honey 

Dip in flow'rs thy fairy bill. 

Thy bright eyes in death are filming; 

Ah, thy fluttering heart is still. 

Under this pale yellow lily. 

In the dying, red gold sun. 

Deep in mothering earth I lay thee ; - 

Sleep in peace, thou tiny one ! 



[19] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



THE SCREECH OWL 

STRANGE, shy bird, with eyes alight^ 

And name bedight 

Of fear and pain. 

Thou wakest at the fall of night 

With stars and rain. 

Thou fillest all the silent grove. 

With mournful tale 

Of life and love ; 

Or is it sin and death's dire wail, 

The trees above ! 

What makes thy voice so sweet and weird. 

Unhallowed bird I 

When night thee brings. 

With hearts unstrung, we are af eard 

Of unknown things. 

I've waited for thy tragic song, 

With aching soul, 

So oft and long — 

Yet I would fain thy grief condole, 

bird of wrong! 



[20] 



AUTUMN SONGS 



SEPTEMBER IN VERMONT 

When spiders weave their fairy webs, 
And the air is filled with golden haze, 
When schools of perch in the water play; 
These are the late September days. 

When fields of corn are tasseled out. 
And squirrels hunt their winter stores, 
When song of bird is rare and low; 
These are the days of memories. 

When insects fill the night with sound. 
And the harvest moon is silver bright. 
When beech and maples softly glow; 
These are the days of opal light. 

For winter is almost upon us, 
With its snow and ice and gloom; 
Thank God for these lovely autumn days 
Of light and color and sun ! 



[23] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



AUTUMN ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN 

OcTOBEE days are blue and gold, 
Yet soft, with autumn liaze, 
The lake is like a mirror, still, 
The hills are set ablaze. 

"White frosfhas stained the maples red. 
And touched the elms with gold. 
Has made the nut trees drop their fruit, 
And turned the moonlight cold. 



[^4] 



AUTUMN SONGS 



AUTUMN DAWNING 
NOT DEATH, BUT LIFE 

Haek ! wild geese at break of day, 
The sigliing wind, the singing leaves. 
Like birds of golden bronze in flight 
That earth retrieves. 

The dawning light has taAvny bars, 
In shimmering mists veiled as with spray, 
Pricked out with feeble glimm'ring stars. 
Behold the day! 

The autumn day, eternal blue. 
And lustrous with Etruscan gold. 
Like wondrous paths the rainbow drew. 
To lure the soul. 

Why long for rainbows' golden dreams. 
When radiant gold all round is rife ? 
Through autumn mists the sunshine gleams- 
Not death, but life ! 



[25] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



OCTOBER LIGHTS 

It is the time of frosty nights 
And days of glorious sun and sky, 
When muskrats build their house of reeds 
And flocks of geese and wild duck fly. 

When misty clouds the lake obscure 
And leaf trees paint a golden screen ; 
The wooded shores seem all aflame 
Against the wall of evergreen. 

The air is filled with homely smells 
Of warm, broAvn earth the plow upturns, 
When slowly, softly fall the leaves, 
And everywhere the brush wood burns. 



[26] 



AUTUMN SONGS 



TO A FALLEN OAK 

Who knows what tiny furry thing 
Once dropped an acorn here — 
How many storm-stressed centuries 
Since thou hast greened each year? 

Thy mighty branches lured the sun 
From grass and forest tree, 
And so, god-like, thou stood 'st apart 
In lonely majesty. 

And now the storm has laid thee low, 
All jade and bronze and gold. 
And never will thy leaves again 
The dappled sunlight hold. 

I pray that some day thou may 'st yield 
New love-light from the hearth ; — 
God never made a finer thing 
To be returned to earth ! 



[^7] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



SONG OF THE AUTUMN LEAVES 

The leaf trees are dressed in their autumn garb 
Of lustre and bronze and gold, 
Midst the emerald of cedars and pines 
Bright glories they slowly unfold. 

Is there in all the world music more rare 
Than leaves falling softly to earth! 
With low, minor swish and faintly sweet smell 
They swirl from the tree of their birth. 

Oh, the oaks and elms and birches 
The maples and beeches and ash. 
Yes, and the shagbarks glow amber, 
In nature 's great autumn gouache. 

The oaks are bronze and last to turn, 
All the elms and birches are gold. 
The beeches and ash are a coppery red. 
But maples have glories untold. 

Like northern lights on a winter night 
All splendor and flame and fire. 
Maple leaves sing pure harmony 
To autumn's golden stringed lyre. 

[28] 



AUTUMN SONGS 



FULFILLMENT 

Thou art mine, beloved, thou art mine ! 

The trees are touched with fire, flame-gold, 
The sky is scintillating light, 
The air is effervescing wine, 
'Tis heady autumn 's rare delight. 
And life no greater joy can hold. — 

For thou art mine, beloved, art mine ! 



[29] 



WINTER TRAILS 



WHEN THE WATERS FREEZE 

Silent niglits with brilliant stars, 
Pure and cold and white, 
Radiant days of golden sun, 
Blue, with heavenly light. 

Open waters hung with mists. 
Opal, silver, gold. 
Glisten, like fair maidens' veils, 
In Iran's streets, of old. 

Weaving, shimmering — hiding 
Snow clad hills and dales. 
Like the gleam of sparkling eyes 
Under gossamer veils. 



[33] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



UNDER THE PINES AND THE STARS 

My world is wrapped in slumber, 
Sweet wood fires are burning low ; 
The winter night is a-glitter 
With stars and untrodden snow. 

Ancient gray rocks on the lake shore, 
Frozen white waves of the bay. 
Eternal hills in the distance. 
Towering black pines that sway. 

The peace and glory of heaven, 
Life ^s triumph and mystery, 
Seem near in the shimmering darkness 
And silent night ecstasy. 

Silence, deep — wondrous deep silence 
Under the pines and the stars, — 
Solitude blessed, I thank thee, 
Thou healest life 's crudest scars ! 



[34] 



WINTER TRAILS 



STOEM AND FIEELIGHT 

The fires of sunset are flaming red, 
These radiant winter days ; 
Dusk comes softly and night falls swift, 
Like a curtain of memories. 

And with the dusk comes a storm of wind. 
Deep — with a steady roar, 
That moans and howls through oaks and pines. 
Like the guns of tragic war. 

I love to be out in the night and wind 
Where big trees meet the sky. 
With glittering stars midst scudding clouds. 
And the lake with waves mountain high. 

The wind strikes great chords of passion and 

joy, 
Li the wild tossing crowns of the trees ; 
It sounds like an organ with all the stops out, 
Played by God with the storm harmonies. 

But the lamp-lit study windows call. 
And when I come in from the night, 

[35] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 

A cheering driftwood fire burns, 
With myriad sparks alight. 

They speak to me of many things ; 
For all life is flame and fire, — 
Birth is the glowing, burning log. 
And death, its ashen pyre. 

The fire of love and passion and hate, 
Of persecution and shame. 
Of enthusiasm and sacrifice; 
Patriotism and purity's flame. 

Outside the great storm is raging black, — 

But over loved familiar things 

And the dying fire 's afterglow, 

White peace spreads her brooding wings. 



[36] 



WINTER TRAILS 



WINTER DUSK IN THE MARSH 

Blue ice roads 
With snowdrifts liigli, 
Ghostly birch, 
And wintry sky. 

Willows brown 
On distant shore, 
Sunset glow 
On hill and moor. 

Muskrat house 
In marshy reeds. 
Where in spring 
The wild duck breeds. 

Sleigh bells ring 
Where water jflows, 
And lily pad 
In summer grows. 



[37] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



MY GARDEN IN FEBRUARY 

Snowdkifts glow and shine, 
Where my flowers sleep ; 
Sentinel black pine 
Lonely vigil keep. 

O'er the frozen bay, 
Wheeling far and high. 
Only sea gulls gray, 
In a leaden sky ! 



[38] 



WINTER TRAILS 



THE FROST STORM 

Ah — you, who dwell in crowds 
And everlasting strife, 
Have you ever watched the clouds 
Or green things come to life ? 

Have you ever watched the play 
Of wind and wave and sun 1 
Have you ever dwelt alone 
When love and faith seemed gone? 

One winter night, the wind 
Brought snow and bitter cold ; 
Yet morning broke in calm, 
With skies of blue and gold. 

And lo, with coming day. 
What wealth of glittering snow; 
A scene of fairy radiance 
With everything aglow ! 

With a myriad diamond crystals 
On every conifer tree, 
Wild beauty's blinding splendor 
Alight with mystery. 

[39] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHEE POEMS 

God's pure-white silent world 
Hath brought faith back to me — 
Glad to have loved and lost — 
That 's what life is meant to be ! 



MID WINTER NIGHT, IRIDESCENT 

The world is blue lustre 
Shadowed with mist, 
The moon is pale silver 
Dreaming, cloud kissed. 

Streamers of northern light 
Flame in the sky. 
Glittering stars are like 
Flowers on high. 

Silence broods wondrous sweet, 
Dripping with light. 
And with ^olian harps 
Winds greet the night. 



[40] 



LOVE SONGS 



*^LOVE IS STRONG AS DEATH 

Is it wrong for the leaf 
To turn to the sun? 
Is it wrong for the bird 
To sing, when day's done? 

Is it wrong for the rain 
To gladden the earth? 
Is it wrong for the spring 
To have its rebirth? 

Is it wrong when we feel 
No price is too great, 
No forgiveness too hard, 
God, before 'tis too late ! 

Is it wrong for the sun 
To shine in the sky? 
Is it wrong then to love, 
When love's stronger than I? 



[43] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



ALONE 

The bitter wind is moaning, 
And tlie sky is gray and leaden ; 
And my heart is heavy, heavy, 
Dear, my dear. 

All my soul is longing for you, 
And I know you Ve hungered for me ; 
You have left me lonely, lonely. 
Dear, my dear. 

For you have not come back to me. 
And to-night the wind is moaning. 
And the snow is ever falling, 
Dear, my dear. 



[44] 



LOVE SONGS 



LONGING 

I THINK of liim by day, 
I dream of him by night ; 
My dear, who is so far away. 
My love, who brought the light. 

It seems as if another self 
Had come to life in me ; 
A self that I have never known, 
A thing of mystery. 



[45] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



TOGETHER 

It was a day of storm, dear heart, 
That brought us two together ; 
It was a day for love, dear heart, 
For love and passion. 

How dear and sweet and still it was — 
Black storm without, white peace within. 
And we away from all the world. 
Alone — together. 

How often in the night, dear heart. 
Have I knelt down and prayed, 
And thought of you and longed for you — 
Your smile, your kiss. — 

Life was a dreary waste before 
Fate willed that we should meet. 
Ah, love me, let me love you — 
Loving is so sweet ! 



[46] 



LOVE SONGS 



WAITING 

Theee is April rain 
From a dreary sky ; 
All the world seems hnshed 
And waiting as I. 

Help me, dear God, 
Through the tragic night, 
And one more dead day, 
Till his coming brings light ! 



[47] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



ECSTASY 

Thou hast come, beloved, 
Thou hast need of me. 
Ah, hold me, hold me 
Tenderly. 

There is peace, beloved. 
In thy blessed brown eyes. 
Deep wells, wherein 
My heaven lies. 

I am thine, beloved, 
My kiss — Thou know'st, 
The joy we share — 
Life's uttermost! 



[48] 



LOVE SONGS 



MY LOVE IS LIKE A CAGED BIRD 

My love is like a caged bird 
With beating wings, 
That ever sings 
A song for me — 
Free, free, free — 
A heartbreak song 
Long, long, long ! 

My heart is like the caged bird 

With leaden wing, 

Remembering 

Life's ecstasy — 

Free, free, free — 

A tragic song 

Long, long, long ! 

caged bird, 
I'll let thee fly. 
To sing on high — 
Free, free, free — 
Sweet liberty, 
A joyous song 
Long, long, long ! 

[49] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 

Oh, that my soul 
Could heal its wings 
Of passion's stings — 
Sweet peace divine, 
Forever mine, 
A blessed song, 
Long, long, long ! 



[so] 



LOVE SONGS 



THOU ART THE SUNSET GOLD 

Thou art the sunset gold 
After April rain, 
Thou art the healing spring 
After winter's pain. 

Thou art the waters' song 
After silent days, 
Thou art the touch of kin 
After lonely ways. 

Thou art the grateful show'r 
After summer drought, 
Thou art the light, the tire 
Of my inmost thought. 

Thine be all the beauty, 
All life's deepest joy. 
Thine the flame, the passion 
Death cannot destroy ! 



[51] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE 



QUATRAINS 

Consolation 

Out of the fire of passionate pain, 
Naught but the ashes of peace remain, 
Peace that is love, forgiveness and rest. 
Passion of pain — even thou art blessed! 

Unafkaid 

The vale of the shadow of death is mine, 

I have won to its farther rim, 

And life holds no fear f orevermore, 

E 'en though hope, faith and love grow dim ! 

Confession 

Like the warming rays of the golden sun 
To the spring budding leaf and flower. 
Is the beat of thy heart, beloved one. 
In the memory of love 's wondrous hour ! 

My Valentine 

I WISH I were a breath of wind 
In the storm of thy desire ; 
I wish I were a tongue of flame 
In thy heart of heart 's gold fire ! 

[55] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



TO THE DAYS THAT AEE GRAY 

Oh, don't you love a day in spring, 
When everything is gray. 
When hill and vale and wind and storm 
Seem very far away. 

When all the world seems wrapped in veils 
Of lovely things to come. 
When we poor mortals hope and dream 
Of life and love and home. 

When nature's hushed and resting seems 
For miracles' rebirth. 
When soon the great awakening comes 
For everything on earth. 

Oh, blessed he, who meaning sees 
In nature 's every mood. 
Nothing that life and grief can bring, 
Can overshadow good ! 



[56] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE 



SUNSET 

I AM tired of war and strife, 
I am tired of love and life, 
Of struggle and hope and fear. 
Of all my soul holds dear. 

Ah, could I sink with the dying sun 
Into the great unknown. 
At the quiet end of a soft, gray day, 
With fires of pain all burned away! 



[57] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



SUNRISE 

Over the oaks in my garden 
The sky is luminous gray, 
Robins are twittering gaily, 
The wind sings a roundelay. 

The earth is young and fair and sweet, 
She 's wrapped in glistening veils 
Of mauve and rose and silver dew. 
Like misty star dust trails. 

Dusky night has folded her wings 
That dawn may gladden the world, 
God^s radiant sun doth rise again 
With banners of hope unfurled. 

Banners that wave in the sunrise, 
All blue and red and gold. 
That waft to my inmost spirit 
The song of life retold ! 



[58] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE 



THEY WILL NOT LEND ME A CHILD "^ 

African Plaint 

In the clearing, by the river, 
Tropic night is velvet bound. 
Laced with silver ribboned moonlight. 
Jasmine scented, filled with sound. 

Children 's laughter, women 's chatter 
Greet the full moon 's radiant light. 
Hand in hand young lovers wander 
In the passion throbbing night. 

Where still shadows fall th(} deepest, 
Mourns a lonely, yearning wife, 
Eocking to and fro in anguish. 
For her wasted, useless life. 

She is young and pure and comely. 
And the daughter of a chief, 
But no child has come to bless her, 
To the whole tribe 's shame and grief. 

He no longer loves me greatly, 
And my breasts are undefiled, 
I am barren, barren, barren, — 
* ' They will not lend me a child. ' ' 



From the Tribal Chants of the Baronga of Southeast Africa. 
[59] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE 



LEGEND OF THE MOTHER 
UNCONSOLED* 

Once there was a loving mother, 
Mourning ever for her child ; 
All God^s mercy unavailing, 
Life meant tears, she never smiled. 

One night just before the dawning. 
When the world was dark and still, 
Lo, she saw a strange procession 
Winding down a distant hill. 

Long, long rows of little children 
Dragging slowly, sadly all. 
Staggering under heavy burdens, 
Pitchers great and pitchers small. 

And behold, her own lost loved one 
Drooping, burdened with her tears. 
He must carry, carry always. 
Through the long, long, weary years. 



Fragment of a German Legend. 



[60] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



PRAYER 

Ah, if perhaps I blind shall be, 
Before my life is done, 
Dear God, my soul's sight let me keep, 
Of trees and sky and sun. 

My memories of wondrous light. 
Of color, wind and rain. 
Of apple blossom, bittersweet. 
Of cardinal and crane. 

Of snow white winter, gray green spring, 

And magic stars and moon. 

Of smoky, gorgeous autumn days. 

Of hills and trail and dune ! 



[6i] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE 



AFTER THE PLAY 

The curtain falls on dead Isoult. — 
And we fare on into the night 
With heart afire and head awhirl, 
To meet the pulsing, seething sight 

Of hurtling throngs and dazzling light, 
Blazing, glittering, shifting, gay; 
The very stars do glimmer faint, 
So high, so far is heaven away. 

Burnished cars like forked lightning 
Flash — garish color, stifling smells, 
Shrieking horns like souls in torment 
Vie with harshly clamoring bells. 



Flowering stars, shimmering clouds, 
Whispering pines, I know, I know. 
Ah, misty hills are far away, 
Where spring is calling sweet and low ! 



[62] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



HAPPINESS 

The clutch of baby fingers, 
The thrill that music brings, 
The memory that lingers 
Of youth and passion's wings. 

The joy of work at flood-tide, 
The love of sun and wind, 
The peace of fearless ebb-tide, 
The faith that death is kind. 



INVOCATION 

Poppies flaming in the glare of noon. 
Winter sunset lurid through black pines, 
Music throbbing from a vioPs heart. 
Love eternal for all beauty's joy — 
Give me passion, give me life that burns ! 



[63] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE 



FREEDOM 

What matter though my body be 

Enclosed in prison walls ; 

My thoughts are mine, 

God 's love divine 

From every hill top calls. 

My spirit sings, 

My soul hath wings, 

And shall be free 

For all eternity ! 



[64] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



HOW CAN IT BE 

The brook is singing in its bed 
Of spring and thee, 
How can it be that thou art dead 
And lost to me ? 

New maple bnds are flaming red, 
Beloved, dost see? 
How can it be that thou art dead 
To spring and me ? 

Thou greetest ever sun and rain 
So joyously. 

Ah, thou wilt never sing again. — 
How can that be ? 

Thou liest on thy rose-wreathed bed 
So still and free. 
How can it be that thou art dead 
And lost to me ? 



[65] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE 



WAR 

Hush, beloved one, 
Mother guards thy sleep. 
Clouds float o'er the sun. 
Make gray shadows creep. 

Whisp 'ring, little winds 
Cooling, drifting slow, 
Through the somber pines 
Swaying to and fro. 

Under somber skies. 
In a forest deep. 
Son, thy father lies 
For his last, long sleep. 

Hush, beloved one. 
Mother guards thy sleep. 
Now he knows, sweet son. - 
God his spirit keep ! 



[66] 



SONNETS 



TWILIGHT 

DIM, strange hour, in chastened beauty veiled, 
When glowing sunset gold far hills has rimmed, 
And garish day's bright light in shadow paled. 
Fair trees and clouds with misty silver limned. 
Now softly calls the song bird to his mate. 
And rose and heliotrope are poignant sweet. 
Old memories crowd and happenings passion- 
ate — 

There heart to heart and soul to soul doth greet. 
Let us forget what never should have been — 
Thou'rt mine, beloved, for this one twilight 

hour. 
Love was so dear, eternity and sin 
So endless long, so seething, formless, dour — 
All soul alone, my gloaming thought tryst keep, 

1 wait thy coming, sweet dark and sleep ! 



[69] 



LEGENDS OF LIFE AND OTHER POEMS 



^^AND THERE WAS LIGHT'' 

Thou that banishest dusky shades of night, 
Thou that givest us color, form, sweet life. 
Hail to thee, heav'n sent healer of dark strife! 
Wisdom crowns thee and joyous freedom's 

might ; 
For all things beautiful and true and fair 
Thou bringest us with hands munificent. 
Thine is the glory of the firmament, 
The shimm 'ring rainbow is thy fabric rare, 
Thine is the golden green of spring and sun. 
Towards thee all growing leaves and flowers 

throng. 
To thee the lark sings her triumphant song. 
Through thee, eternal hope of peace is won. — 
Great, wondrous giver of all life and right, 
God's messenger art thou, blessed light ! 



[70] 



SONNETS 



VICTOEY 

To struggle smilingly with adverse fate, 
And face temptation with the will to scorn, 
Divine forgiveness find for insults borne, 
A world of love to make return for hate. 
To know the wise and unregenerate, 
And seek alike the rich man and forlorn, 
Thy banner of ideal truth untorn ; 
And banish fear to deep inferno 's gate. — 
To make a fetich nor of grief nor joy. 
To work as if the voice of work were all. 
Yet hearken ever to hope^s proud release. 
And nature 's wonder song without alloy ; 
But heed not praise nor passion's heady call. 
Life's victory be thine, triumphant peace! 



[711 



m^^mmmmi^^mmm-i 



SSfi 




